The words beam right at every visiting player as they run through the bowels of Arrowhead Stadium — “The Loudest Stadium in the World.” On Sunday, Eagles turned Arrowhead Stadium into a murmuring church, coming away with a 20-17 victory and a 2-0 start to their 2025 Super Bowl-defending season.
The Eagles also did something no other NFL team has done against the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes in his nine-year career, handing the future Hall of Famer his third-straight loss as a starter, with two of the three coming against the Eagles, obviously counting the Eagles’ 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory over Kansas City.
You would have to go back to November 2016 to find the last time Mahomes lost three-straight games, when he played for Texas Tech, losing to Texas (45-37), Oklahoma State (45-44) and Iowa State (66-10).
It also marked the first time the Chiefs have ever started a season 0-2 in the Mahomes era, and it certainly opens a lot of questions about the cracks spreading in that dynasty.
Meanwhile, the Eagles appear to be building a dynasty of their own. The Eagles and Chiefs won the first NFL matchup where two starting quarterbacks met during the regular season after beating each other in the Super Bowl.
The Eagles won with trench dominance and appear to be heading in the opposite direction of their AFC counterparts.
Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio dialed up a menu of blitz packages that had Mahomes, who is 56-14 at Arrowhead, scrambling to complete 16 of 29 for a pedestrian 187 yards and an interception.
The Chiefs were playing for their season in only the second game of the year, but the Eagles held them to 294 yards of total offense, and one big turnover changed everything.
There was a ton of good, some bad, and smidge of ugly in the Eagles’ 20-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Good
Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba interception in the end zone off a deflected pass from Travis Kelce. Up until that moment, Mukuba had a bit of a rocky game. This time, he stopped a possible go-ahead score from the Chiefs early in the fourth quarter. Mukuba almost scored, if not for the speed and nimble feet of the Chiefs’ left tackle Josh Simmons. On the Chiefs’ first drive of the second half, Mukuba came up with a big hit on Kansas City’s Hollywood Brown for no gain on a third-and-one at the Chiefs’ 36. It kind of made up for Mukuba’s missed on Mahomes’ 13-yard, second-quarter touchdown run.
DeVonta Smith’s great adjustment over the Chiefs’ corner Trent McDuffie for a 28-yard reception to the Kansas City three on a third-and-10 with 9:54 to play. Hurts terribly underthrew Smith, tossing up a lollipop, which Smith tracked as McDuffie ran past him. The play led to Hurts’ one-yard Brotherly Shove game-winning touchdown, and a commanding 20-10 Eagles’ lead with 7:48 to play.
Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo’s three-yard sack with 4:24 to play.
Saquon Barkley’s quietly effective game, rushing for 88 yards on 22 carries and a 13-yard touchdown. It was Barkley that carried the Eagles the final two minutes in leading the Eagles to the finish line.
Nolan Smith coming up to zap Kareem Hunt on Andy Reid’s risky fourth-and-one at the Chiefs’ 36 with 12:56 left in the third quarter. Smith came crashing down from the left untouched, as Chiefs’ pulling center Creed Humphrey failed to reach him. The Smith play led to a Jake Elliott 51-yard field goal—his third 50-yard plus field goal this season—for a 13-10 Eagles’ lead in the third quarter.
Kicker Jake Elliott closing the first half with another 58-yard field goal. That answered a Patrick Mahomes’ 13-yard touchdown run. Elliott has now tripled his 2024 output for 50-yard plus field goals, when he was an uncharacteristic one-of-seven from 50-yards plus, his worst single-season rate in his career.
Punter Braden Mann booming 70-yard punt to the Kansas City six. Last week, it was Mann who kept the ball away from the Cowboys’ dangerous KaVontae Turpin in the fourth quarter with a punt that landed at the Cowboys’ 11 with 7:20 to play. Mann’s three first half punts were for 171 yards, averaging an amazing 70 yards a punt.
Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio dialing up blitz packages that at times left rookie safety Andrew Mukuba shooting gaps and combining with and Za’Darius Smith for sacks at major points—like the 11-yard sack that forced the Chiefs into a long field goal. Mahomes was just two of six for 19 yards and sacked once against the blitz and pressured five of seven times with 11:24 left in the third quarter.
Barkley’s 13-yard touchdown run on the Eagles’ third drive, which opened the scoring. On a first-and-10, Barkley zipped through a hole on the right, provided by center Cam Jurgens reaching the second level to take out linebacker Drue Tranquill, and right guard Tyler Steen kicking out Chamarri Conner, also on the second level, and right tackle Lane Johnson sealing off Ashton Gillotte. It was supremely blocked, providing a hole where Barkley went untouched.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata’s block on a DeVonta Smith’s 13-yard reception to the Chiefs’ 24 onthe Eagles’ third drive. On a second-and-six, Mailata got out to cut off Chiefs’ nickel corner Chamarri Conner, giving Smith an easy causeway through the Kansas City defense.
New acquisition Za’Darius Smith played great. He cut through the line to take down Isiah Pacheco for a one-yard loss on the fifth play of the Chiefs’ second drive. The play came on a first-and-10 at the Eagles’ 38, putting the Chiefs back with a second-and-long. The Eagles were helped by a false start on the Chiefs’ second series, forcing a missed Harrison Butker 58-yard field goal. On the Chiefs’ first possession of the second quarter, it was Smith who brought down Pacheco for no gain on a second-and-eight at the Eagles’ 29. The following play, Smith combined with Mukuba for an 11-yard sack. Smith later had a tackle for a two-yard loss late in the third quarter. Smith finished with four tackles, two solo, and one tackle for loss.
The Eagles’ first defensive series. They left Mahomes guessing, on a three-and-out with pressure brought by Nolan Smith, and a great read by Zach Baun coming up on Chiefs’ running back Brashard Smith.
The Bad
Safety Reed Blankenship and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson allowing Tyquan Thornton to run up field alone with 3:55 to play. Fortunately, Mahomes overthrew him on a second-and-13 at the Chiefs’ 25.
Apparently even when cornerback Adoree’ Jackson is right on his man, the receiver still catches the ball. With Jackson draped all over Hollywood Brown, Mahomes hit him for a six-yard reception on a second-and-seven at the Eagles’ 35 late in the third quarter. Four plays later, Jackson reverted back to his normal self, five yards away from Tyquan Thornton for a 10-yard reception on the last play of the third quarter.
Nickel corner Cooper DeJean looking like a little kid getting stiff-armed by Travis Kelce down the field on a 23-yard reception on a second-and-seven at the Chiefs’ 33 in the waning minutes of the third quarter. It was almost funny as DeJean was swatting at air as Kelce kept him at bay with his left arm.
The Eagles’ inability to deal with blitz packages of Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. It often had Hurts sailing passes down field that were fortunately down the sideline and not in the middle of the field.
The Eagles’ second and fourth offensive series, both three-and-outs for zero yards. The second drive ended with a Hurts’ air ball to A.J. Brown, which the Eagles were fortunate was not intercepted. Left guard Landon Dickerson’s false start and holding call on Cam Jurgens pushed the Eagles back on their fourth drive, which left them with a third-and-15 at their 19.
Hurts throwing behind A.J. on the Eagles’ first play of their second drive.
Hurts fumbling the ball on the first play of the game for a three-yard loss. It was reminiscent of his famous fumble in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVII. This time, at least, there was no Nick Bolton around to scoop it up and score.
The Eagles’ opening drive on offense. The Eagles were helped by two Chiefs’ penalties for a total of 10 yards, but they did little with it. Hurts was under constant pressure.
The Ugly
Rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell’s roughing the passer penalty on a third-and-13 with 3:55 to play after the Ojomo sack and Mahomes missing a wide-open Tyquan Thornton down the field. It allowed the Chiefs a fresh set of downs, which led Mahomes to finally connecting with Thornton for a 49-yard touchdown with 3:00 to play.
Mahomes’s 13-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Mahomes scrambled right and Jalen Carter, who was stunting up the right side was blown out and lost contain, leaving Mahomes a clear pathway to the end zone. A replay showed Carter looping around and taking a wide angle to the pocket, and Chiefs’ right tackle Jawaan Taylor helping him along. Carter wound up on the ground looking up. Mahomes wound up in the end zone looking up at a 10-3 Chiefs’ lead on the scoreboard.
Tight end Travis Kelce’s 18-yard second-quarter reception on a fourth-and-four at the Eagles’ 42. Kelce is engaged to Taylor Swift, who might be a little angry her man was holding hands with Mukuba down the field. Mukuba was being dragged along by the future Hall of Famer. The big gain set up the first time the Chiefs entered the end zone, when Mahomes scrambled free for a 13-yard touchdown run. It wasn’t a good series for Mukuba, who missed a tackle when Mahomes blew through him on a third-and-five to the Eagles’ 13. Mukuba would later make for it with the play of the game, with an interception in the end zone and a cold stop on a third-and-one.
Brashard Smiths’ 25-yard kickoff return to answer Barkley’s first-quarter touchdown. Mahomes’ 22-yard scramble up the field with no one around him on the third play of the second quarter. It was as if a sea of white opened,Mahomes ran right through to the Eagles’ 29. His play led to the Chiefs getting on the board with a 56-yard Butker field goal.
0 CommentsSee More:
